Bass and Pyrz will not seek reelection, qualifying is next month
It’s decision time for local candidates.
Georgia Governor Nathan Deal signed legislation last week that moves up primary elections to May 20, which results in qualifying being held earlier than in the past.
The move was necessary to line up the state’s 2014 election calendar with the schedule for federal elections.
Grady County Probate Judge Denise Maddox announced this week that qualifying will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, March 3, and will conclude at noon on Friday, March 7.
Local offices up for election this year include State Court Judge, Solicitor General, County Commission – Districts 2 and 5, and Board of Education – Districts 2 and 5.
Last Tuesday, the Grady County Board of Commissioners set the qualifying fees for local offices.
The fees set by the board are:
State Court Judge – $1,186.68
Solicitor General – $1,005.99
County Commissioner – $54
Board of Education – $36
State Court Judge Bill Bass will not seek reelection in accordance with terms of a settlement between him and the Georgia Judicial Qualifications Commission. At the end of the year, Judge Bass will have served as the judge of Grady County State Court for three four-year terms.
The only candidate to announce their intention to seek the judgeship is attorney Jami Lewis, 31.
Ms. Lewis informed The Messenger Wednesday she will qualify to run next month.
The incumbent Solicitor General is Kevin S. Cauley, a Cairo attorney, who is also the attorney for the Grady County Board of Commissioners, in addition to serving as the Juvenile Court solicitor.
The incumbent District 2 Grady County Commissioner is Billy Poitevint and the District 5 incumbent is Commissioner T.D. David.
District 2 Grady County Board of Education member Drew Pyrz has announced he will not seek reelection to the school board this year, which creates an open seat.
District 5 is currently represented by Dave Dumas, who was appointed by the school board late last year to fill the unexpired term of Scott Higginbotham.
Dumas, if he decides to run, will have to qualify in March and seek election by the voters of his district.
